Chapter 7: Mumbai Promises

Neha’s challenge caught me off guard.

Priya had made me promise to stay by her side every night of her pregnancy, so the baby would feel its father’s presence. At the time, cheating hadn’t crossed my mind. Now, that promise felt like a trap.

But I wasn’t worried about hurting Priya—only about her getting suspicious. Even as I’d sworn to Neha on the phone, I knew deep down I’d never leave my family.

Losing Priya meant losing my career. Neha was wonderful, but not worth that cost. If I lost everything, would she still want me? Probably not. I knew that much.

So what I’d told Neha was part impulse, part lie—just to pull her closer, stop her from being so distant.

“Heh, Rohan Sir, you really are lying to me. You never planned to leave your family. You’d better stay with your wife. Let’s keep things as they are, no more interfering, okay?”

Her words snapped me back. I forced myself to say, “Wait for me. I’m coming.”

I scribbled a note for Priya—

[Priya, urgent work. Going to the office. Might stay overnight.]

I left it on the bedside table. In the dark, I looked at Priya—soft, snoring, her hand resting on her belly. I caught my reflection in the window and felt a wave of self-disgust, but I shoved it down, telling myself this was just what men did.